ICAO Cat. 9 airport takes delivery of third Panther which brings the combined total of fire fighting power to 33,600 litres of water, 4,700 litres of foam and 1,000 litres of powder.

The Panther-S 6x6 was delivered in Salzburg (Austria) last month (December), ten years since the last Panther delivery. It replaces an FLF 5.000 dating from 1987, also supplied by Rosenbauer.

All three vehicles share the same high-tech core, which consists of an ingenious combination of pump (R600) and a three-level foam proportioning system (Foamatic RVMA) that can prepare a water-foam mix at speeds of up to 6,000 l per minute.

The extinguishing agents are delivered via electronically controlled monitors on the roof and at the front of the trucks.

The roof monitor offers outputs of 5,000 l/min (Panther 8x8) or 6,000 l/min (Panther-S 6x6), while the front monitor has a capacity of 1,000 (8x8) or 1,500 l/min (6x6).

These capabilities exceed the requirements contained in ICAO directives for Category 9 airports such as Salzburg, which stipulate that the three vehicles must emit a combined volume of 9,000 l of extinguishing water/foam mix in one minute. In fact, the Salzburg airport now meets the second highest safety level demanded by the ICAO directives.

The monitors’ power enables firefighters to attack the fire from a distance of over 80 m away with full output and in continuous operation using every type of extinguishing water and foam mix.

The powder carried in the payload can also be integrated into the flow of extinguishing agents from the roof monitor. The new Panther-S is equipped with its own powder extinguishing unit.

Thermal imaging cameras are also installed in the vehicles to help pinpoint hidden fire sources, and ground spray nozzles protect crew from the heat of burning kerosene.

The Panther-S’s low 2.5 m width means it is suitable for public highway use, allowing firefighters to deploy beyond airport boundaries eg for security purposes or nearby emergencies. As such, the new Panther will bear standard number plates and receive an additional license for public roads. A special ‘steered’ rear axle has been specified on the Panther-S for ease of handling on public highways and roundabouts.